Reckitt Benckiser Reviews 3 Brands

Finish, Air Wick and Clearasil are in play

Reckitt Benckiser has launched a global creative review of three of its biggest brands: Finish, Air Wick and Clearasil.

Reckitt's global lead agency, Havas Worldwide, is the incumbent and is expected to defend.

Global media spending on the brands was not available, but in the U.S. alone last year, they collectively spent $60 million, according to Nielsen. The bigger spenders were Air Wick air fresheners and Finish dish detergent, with the former approaching $26 million and the latter, at $24 million. Clearasil's total was $10 million. Those figures don't include online outlays, however.

In a statement, a Reckitt representative said: "Given the ambitions for these particular brands, RB wants to explore new sources of creativity including potentially additional creative partners."

A consultancy, Agency Assessments International, is managing the process. A timeline for completing the search was not immediately available.

The creative review comes amid Reckitt Benckiser's ongoing global review of media planning and buying responsibilities, which began in the summer. Havas Media and Zenith Media are the incumbents on that business. Total gobal media spending is estimated at $500 million a year.